Ahoy there, Zacky! Welcome aboard planDisney!
Wow, a 7 a.m. arrival on the day of your
Disney Cruise Line vacation! I guess those overnight flights from the Pacific Northwest are no joke! I know my fellow panelist Adrianna has to contend with those schedules as well sometimes, so I guess we finally found something great about living in the middle of the country!
Obviously, I kid!
When it comes to your arrival at the Port of New York's Manhattan Terminal, as part of "
My Online Check-In," you will be asked to select a port arrival time. Since Guests arriving early may be asked to wait until their scheduled time, you're asked to arrive at the appointed time for entry into the terminal building. Oh, and part of the
Guide to Updated Experiences outlines the current health and safety protocols, so when it comes to getting everything squared away, once you start the check-in process, you're expected to stay at the Port.
Now I know spending multiple hours at the Manhattan Terminal may not sound particularly magical, but here's something of which to be aware: when I sailed out of New York on our Canadian Coast cruise in 2018, we had a decently long wait after we collected our luggage before our
Ground Transportation was ready. We took this opportunity to meet some of the other guests who we'd be sailing with. One of our favorite things to do is figure out if we'll see them everywhere, or see them on embarkation day and never again! So that 7 a.m. arrival, then waiting for baggage, then meeting your Ground Transportation, then making your way from JFK to Manhattan could easily take an additional two to three hours! By my count, that turns 7:00 a.m. into 10:00 a.m. really quickly - before you know it, you could be racing against the clock to beat the all-aboard time!
If you'd had your heart set on the opportunity to explore New York City before boarding, I'd suggest you consider flying in a day before if possible! Otherwise, there's just not enough time to do so flying the day of, in my experience!
So, be sure to pack some games, and snacks, download a few Disney+ movies or episodes and make the best out of the views from the cruise terminal! Once you board, you'll have an amazing view of Manhattan and you'll cruise down the Hudson River past the Statue of Liberty as you make your way into the Atlantic Ocean - so be sure to take some time to stay topside!
I'm sorry that the timing is not what you'd like, but while I do love NY (hey, that's pretty catchy, they should put that on a t-shirt!) the real draw is sailing away with Captain Mickey and friends!
I hope that helps you chart a course for your arrival, Zacky! Thank you so much for your question, and if you have any others as you continue your plans for this fall, please drop me another line at planDisney!
Until then may your anchor be tight and your compass true!
Andrew